Her Voice Beneath the Waves
by Miraluna
Summary: Danger lurks deep in the ocean, and Lightning attempts to cope with life beyond the sea.
1. Chapter 1

_She had eyes that could lead others out of the darkness, yet she was trapped in a dome with no signs of life nearby. Sore bruises formed on her arms as the chains restricted any movement. They cuffed her forearms together after hours of her struggling resistance. No words, no sounds, just silence._

_She gave up on hope._

* * *

"After hours of _it_ trying to break free, we finally calmed the creature down."

"Creature...?"

"Yes, the creature we caught...it's..."

The silence broke. She faintly heard voices in the distance, becoming closer and closer. Footprints followed the voices echoing from afar, and the creature slowly opened its eyes. Everything was a blur to her. Her eyes fluttered, trying to adjust to the lighting.

"She's not a creature, don't treat her like one. Take the chains off her, immediately."

The man's voice was demanding, yet gentle. Once her eyes fully opened, she saw a silver-haired man standing in front of her on the other side of the glass dome. Her eyes widened.

_Why...? Why?!_ She thought. She didn't know what to feel, shock or anger. The chains were released, and she could now swim freely.

"You're a mermaid, am I correct?" the man asked.

The mermaid smashed her hands against the glass as she glared into the man's eyes. She then gritted her teeth and swam to the center of the dome, crossing her arms.

The man chuckled. "I don't intend to harm you. I'm letting you go."

She looked over to the silver-haired man as her arms loosened. The mermaid was genuinely shocked.

"But sir!" the man's escort said.

"_I said_, set her free," the man argued.

"All the hard work would go to waste!"

"It's only natural to thank the one who saved me, so I'm setting her free."

The mermaid swam towards the man and placed her forehead against the glass. The man didn't understand, but he copied her actions. _Thank you. If we ever meet again, call me Light. _The man heard a voice in his head that resembled a woman's. For some reason, the voice seemed familiar, but it also soothed him. The mermaid smiled as the dome was being dragged away to the ocean. He was in awe, he believed without a doubt that the mermaid was talking to him.

"Wait! My name is Hope! Hope Estheim!"

Little by little the dome was dragged away, until it wasn't seen anymore.

Hope chuckled. _Is this what they call love at first sight?_ He thought to himself.

"But I guess it'll never work out..." Hope sighed.

"Uh, sir...? Your majesty? Are you alright? You're saying some weird things..." His escort said.

"Pablo, you've been my escort for how many years?"

"Five years, sir."

"And in those five years, you didn't notice that I talk to myself?"

"No comment..."

"Okay, back to work. Academia isn't going to run itself."

"Lightning! Where have you been?" a young mermaid yelled.

"Serah..."

The two embraced each other, glad to be together again. The sisters were separated from each other for weeks without any form of contact.

"Sis, what happened...?"

"It's a long story..."

"I need to know, Lightning."

"... Alright."

* * *

"Serah! It's too dangerous! What do you think you're doing?!" Lightning yelled.

"We have to save him, Lightning! He'll drown!"

"It's too risky!"

"But Lightning!-"

"Just stay back, Serah! I'll save him!"

The horrendous storm caused the waves to rise higher than usual, and once the waves crashed into a ship, the chance of survival was minimal. The task of saving the young stranger also brought danger to the rescuer. Ship debris flew everywhere in the air and scattered through the sea.

She sped through the waves, dodging the scattered pieces of debris. Then, she dived deep into the ocean, catching the young drowning stranger. Lightning kept him as close to her as she could, so he could avoid the broken off fragments of the ship. She managed to get out of the situation without harm.

Lightning noticed that the young man was trembling, as if afraid. He was completely unconscious when she brought him to the shore. Lightning pressed her forehead against his. _You'll be alright. You're not alone,_ she said to him, but not aloud. His trembling body stopped, and Lightning fled back to the ocean.

The gigantic storm ended; however, the ocean water leveled, and Lightning was trapped within the lake located near the castle of Academia. Hours later, the young man was taken in and Lightning tried to find an exit out to the ocean. She couldn't find any exit as the castle is the most protected building in the city.

The trapped mermaid found herself in a more difficult situation. Lightning got caught into a net. Later on, she found herself in a dome, chained up. She met the one she saved, Hope Estheim, and was released back into the ocean.

* * *

"That's the story." Lightning sighed.

"Sis, you bonded with the human, Hope Estheim?"

"I had no choice, he was scared. What was I supposed to do?"

"But he's the handsome king of Academia!"

"Serah, how do you know this?"

"Don't change the subject, Lightning. So, you met him again? It must be fate!"

"There's no such thing as fate."

"Typical, Lightning." Serah giggled, "Let's head home, I'm sure the others are waiting to see you again."

"...King?" Lightning murmured.

"Did you say something, sis?"

"It's nothing. Let's go."

* * *

**Bloopers**

The mermaid swam towards the man and placed her forehead against the glass. The man didn't understand, but he copied her actions. AND THEN THEY KISS KISS FALL IN LOVE!

"Pablo, you've been my escort for how many years?"

"Cinco years, señor."

* * *

(a/n: I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I would really appreciate it if you left a review. A little constructive criticism wouldn't hurt :3)


	2. Chapter 2

_She clenched her own throat, struggling to breathe. The suffocation caused her to go blank. No one was in reach to help her. For the first time, the water caused pain to her. She thought to herself,_

_'Is this the end?'_

* * *

A burning sensation on her body forced the girl awake. She could barely open her eyes with the sunlight hitting her face. She sat up and examined her surroundings. The area seemed familiar; a sandy beach near a closed off lake, that had no escape route. Before being awoken, she had a hazy dream; it appeared to be a goal, or a focus to be exact. And then it became clear to her now, what had happened to her.

_"Let go of her! Serah!"_

_"Foolish creature, how could you even think about trespassing through my territory?"_

_"Lightning! Help!"_

_The two sisters were captured on their way back home. A giant creature with eight tentacles appeared out of a cave, and six of the tentacles were his feet and the other two were his hands. His body structure was similar to a mermaid, a head and body identical to a human's and legs comparable to other fish in the ocean. The creature ambushed them, catching them in a grip._

_"Dysley, let her go!" Lightning yelled._

_"You are only, but a critter of the sea. Anything you say doesn't make a difference in this world. What a shame that your dearest sister lured you here."_

_"That's not true, Lightning!-"_

_"She had a focus to fulfill and she completed it by deceiving you."_

_"That's a lie! You told me that if we swam through here, you wouldn't bother us!" Serah cried._

_"And you were foolish enough to believe me. However, you completed your focus and now you are granted eternal youth. Day by day, your youth will diminish by a year. Your elder sister will be granted a new focus, thanks to you."_

_Serah's eyes widened as she started to cry. Dysley held Lightning close to his face, laughing at their struggles to get out. Lightning took that chance to headbutt his eye._

_"GAHHH!" The creature screamed out in pain._

_He loosened his grip on Serah and Lightning as he roared._

_"Serah! It's time to escape!" Lightning hollered._

_They swam as fast as they could, trying to withdraw from the situation. Serah wasn't fast enough, she got caught again._

_"Serah!-"_

_"Don't worry! Your hero is here!" a voice called from afar._

_"Snow!" Serah yelled._

_Snow sped quickly towards Dysley, yelling, "Steelguard!" after punching him in the face. Dysley released his grip on Serah, but made sure he wouldn't let go of Lightning._

_"Lightning!" Serah cried._

_"Just go! Snow, take Serah out of here!"_

_"But, sis!-"_

_"Leave!"_

_"You dare to escape...? Just wait until you suffer. You are now given a focus, rise to the surface and complete it."_

_Dysley's grip tightened, crushing Lightning's ribs. A pain surged into Lightning's tail. Her tail was being split apart and her gills were disappearing. She grew human feet and she could no longer breathe underwater. Lightning clenched her throat, gasping for air. She needed oxygen. Before long, she passed out. The sound of Dysley's laughter rang through her head. He laughed as he watched her suffocate._

Lightning felt a tingling feeling on her chest. An apparent mark branded on her bust stung like a first degree burn. _Damn, this brand hurts_, Lightning thought. She sat on the sandy beach staring at her new pair of legs. Lightning wiggled her toes, staring at them in awe. The mermaid is now a human. She found a rag large enough to cover her body, so she wrapped the cloth around herself and found a piece of sea kelp to keep the rags from falling off her. Lightning then dragged her body over the sand, toward a boulder. Lightning held onto the rock for support, but she couldn't stand up. Learning to walk with new legs isn't going to be easy. A whistling noise resonated in Lightning's ears, someone was nearby. She tried to drag herself into the ocean, but it was too late, she was spotted.

"Light…? It couldn't be…"

Lightning flinched at the sound of the familiar voice. It was Hope Estheim, the one who freed her. She tried to slip away from the prestigious king, but he dashed in front of her. Hope kneeled, staring directly into her eyes. Lightning, wide eyed, turned her head away to hide her frustration. He glanced at her legs, noticing that she wasn't able to walk.

"Do you need any help?"

Lightning shook her head side to side. She was too stubborn to ask for any help. Hope sighed and gave a small smile.

"You won't be able to leave unless you learn how to walk first."

She looked to the side and narrowed her eyes. Despite how much she didn't want his help, she knew he was right. Lightning took a glimpse at the lake, realizing that she could no longer swim. _I'm useless. I can't swim anymore… I can't even walk or speak_, she thought. Lightning took a deep breath and tried one more time to stand up. She leaned against the rock, little by little lifting her legs. She kept repositioning her stance, giving all her effort to stand up. Hope held out his hands, waiting to catch her if she were to fall. Lightning glared at Hope; she didn't want any help, but soon after Lightning was finally able to stand up on her own. A smile grew on Lightning's face; she was proud of her accomplishment.

"Now for the hard part, walking." Hope said.

Lightning frowned, knowing it might be a while until she could learn how.

Hope chuckled and said, "Don't worry, I'll be here with you until you learn how to walk properly."

Lightning shook her head. The guilt of wasting his time would be a burden to her, so she refused his offer to stay. Lightning would shake her head as a way of saying no, but Hope was persistent. He wanted to help her no matter what. The stubborn lady and the persistent man, a interesting combination indeed. Eventually, Lightning gave in and accepted the man's help.

"I want to help you, but in order for me to do that, you have to trust me."

Lightning hesitantly nodded her head. What other choice did she have? Hope held onto Lightning's hands, slowly leading her towards him. She would lift one leg and bring it a step forward and repeat the same process for the other. Hope repeated each step with Lightning until she fully understood.

"Ok, I'm going to let go of your hands now. Try to walk on your own this time."

Hope released his grip on Lightning's hands and stepped back. Lightning took her first step forward, then the next, not losing her balance. She paced herself and made her way towards Hope. She almost tripped a few times, but she managed to reach him. Lightning took her last step, falling towards Hope. She was exhausted. Hope caught her in his arms just before the sun set.

"You did a great job, Light." He gave a small smile, noticing that she was too tired to walk anymore. "Is it alright if I carried you inside?"

Lightning was too tired to look up at him. She nodded, almost about to pass out.

"Excuse me, " he said as he swept Lightning off her feet.

He carried her off the beach, and by the time they made it to the castle, Lightning had already fallen asleep. Hope's day off ended just like that, but he didn't regret it. He actually had fun.

* * *

_Your focus..._

_"My focus...?"_

_Your sister will disappear... Kill..._

_"What the hell are you talking about?! Answer me!"_

_The voice faded away, leaving the girl clueless._

_"Focus...?"_

The sunlight beamed through the window. Lightning moaned as the sun woke her up. Her eyes fluttered open and she yawned. What was that...? That dream... Lightning thought to herself. She sat up and noticed that she was sleeping on a comfy surface. She jumped in place, fascinated by how soft it was. Lightning took the fluffy sack of feathers and sniffed it. She was truly intrigued by the human sack she smelled had a scent similar to Hope's. Lightning looked around, and she noticed Hope sleeping in a chair next to the bed.

Lightning tilted her head, Why are you helping me...? She wondered.

Hope yawned, startling Lightning. His eyes slowly opened and looked over to her.

"Oh, you're awake. Good morning, Light." Hope smiled.

Lightning immediately lied down and covered herself in a blanket. She thought to herself,

_What am I even doing here...?!_

* * *

**Bloopers**

Hope swept Lightning off her feet, then he tripped and they both died, landing on their faces.

* * *

(a/n: thanks for reading! This chapter is a bit longer than the first, but I hope you enjoyed it!)


	3. Chapter 3

_Her mind wandered, often going back to the thoughts of the burden she had to bear. She would close her eyes and think about what calmed her, going home and being with her friends and family, but it was too good to be true. She knew that she would have to face it sooner or later, yet all she could do was run away._

_'What should I do...?'_

* * *

Lightning hid under the blanket, recollecting her thoughts. What am I even doing here...?! Lightning was getting frustrated. First her focus, and now she'd ended up in the castle of the king; his bedroom, to be exact. I don't have time for this. I need to complete my focus.

"Light?" Hope called out.

Lightning had completely forgotten about him. She was so lost in her thoughts, she forgot about the situation she was in. Lightning didn't move. She believed he would go away if she were to ignore him, but unfortunately, life doesn't work that way. Hope sighed.

"I won't go away just because you're under the blanket, you know."

She wouldn't budge, not a single movement. All of a sudden, her stomach growled.

Hope chuckled. "Are you hungry?"

Lightning was a little motivated to get out of the blanket, but she remained covered.

"Alright, I'll be waiting in the dining hall for you."

She heard his footsteps leaving the room and the door closing. Lightning sighed. What am I supposed to do now? Lightning uncovered her head, and she noticed that the clothes she was wearing were different from the rag she found yesterday. She sniffed the clothes and thought, Does everything in this castle smell like him? Then, she heard the door creak open and some echoing footsteps.

"Miss? We need to prepare you for breakfast."

Lightning looked back, noticing two women standing right behind her. She clicked her tongue and pulled the sheets over her head. The maids didn't give up right there, but they knew it was going to be a difficult challenge to encourage Lightning.

* * *

After a hour of resisting, Lightning and the maids appear in the dining hall.

"Your majesty, I present to you the young lady." One maid said.

"Were there any problems?" Hope asked.

"She put up a bit of a fight- Ow!"

The other maid elbowed the girl. "No problems, your majesty."

Hope glanced at Lightning and smiled. He walked over to the stubborn girl and took a bow.

"I think that dress suits you." He smiled.

"... T-Thank you."

Lightning avoided his eyes and stared straight at the ground. Hope was utterly shocked. He didn't know that she could even speak. He peeked over to the maids who were giggling on sight, hoping for an answer. I think I didn't get enough sleep last night. Hope thought. Before he even knew it, Lightning had walked away to get some food.

"Hey, Light!"

Lightning turned around and pointed at the table full of food.

"Oh, sorry. You must be hungry."

He guided her to her seat and sat next to her. Lightning was confused. There were shiny objects on the table that she couldn't recognize. She picked a round utensil and looked at her reflection. Amazed by the shiny objects, she didn't even realize Hope was laughing. Lightning came back to her senses and stared at the plate of food.

"Ah~" Hope held a spoonful of food towards Lightning.

Lightning had a peeved look on her face. She looked at the spoon and then at Hope, she couldn't stand the way he was treating her, like a little kid. Lightning crossed her arms and looked away.

"Light, you're being stubborn again. You have to eat."

Once again, Lightning's stomach growled even louder than before.

"Ah~" he repeated himself.

Unbelievable, Lightning thought to herself. She found herself in another situation with no other choice. Hope sat there with a big grin that everyone could see clearly. Lightning sighed and looked at Hope. She opened her mouth and took a bite from the spoon. Hope's smile shined throughout the room, showing everyone how happy he was.

Embarrassed, Lightning grabbed the spoon from the table and tried to feed herself. Hope frowned, because within minutes, she'd learned how to use the spoon, and he could no longer help her.

"So, you actually _can_ talk?"

Lightning nodded.

"Can you say anything else?"

She shook her head, after all she just learned those words.

"Oh... So the maids taught you. Okay, try to say my name- Hope."

Lightning hesitated, but eventually, she said his name. A huge grin formed on his face. Expressions couldn't show how truly joyful he was.

"Sir, the preparations are complete."

"Thank you, Pablo. Let's go Li-"

Hope was interrupted by a bickering couple.

"How could you, Elly? I thought we had something special!"

"I'm sorry, Leo. Please forgive me."

"Okay."

Then the bickering couple suddenly pressed lips. It was the strangest thing Lightning had ever seen. She didn't know what they were doing, so she looked at Hope, waiting for an answer.

"Let's go. We have to hurry, no time for talking."

It was clear that Hope was trying to avoid the situation. Lightning tugged his sleeve and he knew what she wanted to know, but he just didn't want to explain it. What is kissing? The specific topic she wanted to know was an awkward subject for Hope, making it difficult to explain.

"Are you really _that_ curious?" He asked.

Lightning nodded her head.

Hope sighed, "Um... Well... Two people... Uh, two very close people, do that when they are happy and sometimes to thank the other person. So, their lips touch for a while and that's what you call um... kissing."

They both stood up from their chairs and walked through the grand hallway. Lightning was lost in her thoughts. He taught me how to walk, and he let me sleep in his bed, also he fed me... She thought. Lightning stopped near the end of the hallway.

"Is there something wrong?" Hope asked.

Lightning made a hand motion for him to come closer. She grabbed his chin and pulled him close. Lightning pressed her lips against his for at least three seconds.

"Thank you," she said.

Lightning stood back and walked ahead as Hope was in a daze.

She kissed me... Light kissed me... Wow... Wait, thank you...? I must have explained it wrong! What am I going to do...? How do I explain this to her?

"Ugh...!"

Hope looked over to Lightning and she stumbled to the ground. Her head was hurting, feeling like someone was constantly hitting a hammer against her head. She gripped her hair tightly to distract her from the torture.

_Fo...cus... Fo...cus..._

Something was ringing inside her thoughts. The word, focus, repeated constantly in her head. She felt like ripping her hair out to stop the discomfort, which worsened each second. Her sight was a blur, and she saw a vision of some sorts, resembling a man.

"Light!" Hope called out.

He rushed to Lightning and placed his hands on her shoulders, shaking her.

Lightning came back to her senses and looked at Hope.

_What the hell was that?_


	4. Chapter 4

_She felt like she didn't deserve it. The comfortable life with him, the cherished memories, and his love she couldn't return. No matter how much she tried to not think about it, it would just pop right back into her head. She had something to complete before her own happiness; her joy had to be locked away for the sake of others. She didn't know how to ask for help,_

_Until she met him..._

* * *

_What the hell was that?_ Lightning thought. Hope was right in front of her, hoping that nothing happened.

"Light, are you alright?!"

She nodded as he helped her back up. It seemed like she was a little too careless about her focus, Dysley must have had something to do with it. Lightning's chest was burning, the brand that was given to her served as a reminder of her focus. What am I supposed to do? All I know about my focus is that vague vision... Lightning thought to herself.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

Lightning nodded once again, pointing at the door. She was curious about the preparations Hope had planned. He sighed, knowing even if he asked her to rest, Lightning would refuse.

"First, close your eyes. Don't open them until I tell you."

She raised her eyebrow in confusion. Lightning would rather not keep her eyes closed, so she could be ready at all times if someone attacked.

"Please? I promise you nothing is going to happen."

Instead, Lightning turned away from the door. Hope didn't bother on convincing her to close her eyes, it'd just lead to a battle on whether who was more stubborn or persistent. She heard the door creak open, but she stood her ground, waiting for Hope to speak.

"Okay, you can turn around now."

The curious girl swiftly turned around. There was nothing, just an empty room. Lightning began to walk back down the hallway until Hope grabbed her arm.

"Wait, there's actually something in the room."

She didn't believe it. _I'm just wasting my time here,_ she thought to herself.

"Please? Stay for a while."

Hope frowned, his pouty face resembling Serah when she didn't get what she wanted. In the end, Lightning would give in and spoil her younger sister. She looked away, avoiding his eyes. Without realizing it, she looked at Hope, his face filled with sadness. He really wanted Lightning to see whatever was inside the room, so she sighed and pointed to it. Hope smiled and guided her back to the door.

"First, I need you to hold my hand."

Lightning sighed once again and held his hand. What is he planning? she thought. He stepped in the room, pulling her alongside him. Lightning shut her eyes from the sudden action. Her eyes fluttered open, noticing that she was floating along with Hope. She looked at the smiling king with amazement.

"It feels like you're in the ocean, right?"

She nodded, looking at the scenery. The room lit blue, resembling the same ocean she lived in. Hope let go of her hand and floated around as if he was swimming. In that moment, Lightning relaxed her body, letting it float on its own will. She gazed at the ceiling that resembled the surface of the sea. Through the ocean ripples of the surface, it casted a light that seemed so real. She was astonished. Not realizing, her eyes watered, tears spilling from her face.

The young man glanced over to the girl, mesmerized by the sight of her crying. In his mind, there was no doubt that she was the same mermaid he set free. He didn't have any words to say, so he kept silent. Lightning came back to her senses and wiped the tears off her face. She exhaled and glanced at Hope. He stumbled in the air after she noticed him staring.

"U-Uh, so this room was built to resemble being under the ocean. What do you think? Does it seem real?"

Lightning opened her mouth a bit, then immediately snapped it shut. Her cheeks became rosy, and she gave Hope a smile. The young king was shocked. Lightning hadn't smiled the entire time since he found her on the shore of the beach, and he blushed at the sight, using his hands to cover his face. Lightning floated to the blushing king and removed his hands.

"Thank you," she said.

This made him blush even more. Hope coughed and looked to the side, hiding his red face.

"W-Well, I think we spent enough time in here. Let's go."

* * *

Hope had work to do as both the king and director of Academia, so Lightning roamed the castle's beaches. She came across a pocket-sized object that had a shine resembling the utensils she used before, but it was shaped different. It had an elaborate design carved into the wooden handle and the metal shined brightly from the sun. The metal was curved. Curious, she reached for it and pricked her finger on the tip of the object, causing it to bleed.

_Ouch, what is this...?_ she thought.

All of a sudden, her brand started burning. She stumbled onto the sand, gripping the necklace on her chest. A vision appeared in front of her eyes, but it was vague and blurry. She saw her own hands carrying a bloody knife and a body lying right in front of her.

_What the hell..._

Lightning heard stories of mermaids exchanging their tails for human legs and feet, but on one condition- to complete their focus or task given to them. She didn't expect the focus to be served to her on a silver platter, but figuring it out was more difficult than she thought.

"Hey, Light! I finished with my work!" Hope yelled, running across the sand.

She immediately dropped the knife, burying it under sand with her foot. It was near the rock Lightning was found next to, so it would be easy to find later. It seemed like the knife had a purpose in her focus, but she didn't know why. Thinking that the knife could be useful later, she pushed it deeper into the sand in the hopes that no one else would find it.

"Let's head inside."

She nodded, following Hope back into the castle.

_But what would I need that object for...?_

* * *

(A/n: I'm so sorry that this chapter is so short! I have a bit of writers block... But I hope you continue to enjoy this story!)


End file.
